Target trap



Jul 1, 1924; 1,499,845

W. l. SPANGLER TARGET TRAP Filed Aug. '7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Swan/01 William I SkazzyJer Z 1,499,845 July l9 4 w. l. SPANGLER TARGET TRAP Filed Aug. '7, 1922 2 Sheets-Shee1 Z gall/ 11 Qwuwutoz Patented July 1, 1924.

UNITED WILLIAM I. SPANGLER, F TARLTON, OE'IO.

grazaenr rner.

Application filed August 7, 1922. Serial No. 579,991.

- produce a mechanism in which the action of a dead center will be eliminated and allow a simple and rigid construction whereby the carrier and carrier arm can be reset for action.

A further object of the invention is to construct and arrange the carrier 1n such angular relation with respect to the supporting frame as to cause the target to lie close to the carrier to eliminate additional mecha- I nism for holding the target as it slides along the carrier. In this manner horizontal flight of the target is prevented, and the target caused to be projected at an angle, thereby presenting to the marksman more surface for his mark.

With these and other objects in view, as

will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, and hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view,

Figure 2 is a side view,

Figure 3 is a sectional 3-3 of Figure 1, v

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the mounting,

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-.5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view through the mounting.

Referring to the drawing 1 designates a base upon which is rotatably mounted in the customary manner an inclined frame 2 which includes a pair of spaced upper and lower bars 3 and 4, respectivelyflthe bar 3 having a latch 5 carried thereby which may be of any approved construction and serves to hold the carrier 6 in its set position.

The carrier com rises an elongated bottom plate 7, one e ge of which terminates in a vertical flange 8 and u on which is secured a plate 9 in which is ed a rubber strip 10. The rear end of the plate 7 is provided with a semi-circular flange 11 view on the line which is a continuation of the flange 8, there being a post 12 adjustably carried by the plate 7 and against which the target 13 rests, and at a time when the carrier is in its operative-or set position. The engaged thereon a rubber sleeve 14 which serves as a cushion to prevent injury to the target.

The post 12 may be selectively en aged in any of the perforations 14 formed in the carrier, and since the target 13 rests a ainst this plost it will be obvious that upon a justing t is post backwardly or forwardly that the target will leave the carrier earlier or later for the purpose of re lating the angularity of. the target in re ation to the carrier. For instance, if the stop is set near the extreme inner end of the carrier, the angularity of the target will be greater and vice versa. In other words, when the arm is swung and if the stop is comparatively far out upon the arm the-target will leave'the carrier arm at certain points longitudinal with the axis of the arm.

In order to swingably mount the carrier 6 on the frame 2, a shaft 15 is employed and has its upper end fixed in a sleeve 16 rotatably mounted in the upper bar 3 of the frame, the lower end of said shaft being journaled in a bearing 17 formed in the bar 4 of said frame. The upper end of the sleeve 16 has a-carrier arm '18 formedintegral therewith, said arm being in the same parallel plane as the bar 3. r

The plate 7 of the arm 6 has a pair of lugs 19 formed upon itslower surface, the outermost one being of greater heightthan the inner one so that when the carrier 1s placed on and secured to the carrier arm 18 the inclination of the carrier will be sharper than the inclined plane of the bar 3, or in other words the carrier arm will be disposed in obtuse angular. relation with respect to the shaft 15 whereby the targets 13 will be post has.

projected at a greater inclination or angle rod 24, the rear end of which is pivotally I connected to a lever 25, said lever being pivotally mounted on the base 1. This bar neeaeee is swung on its pivot by a link 26 which magi be operated in the customary manner.

plate 27 is provided and is pivotally connected to the shaft 15, the inner end of which has pivotally connected thereto the forward end of a rod 28, the rear end of which is secured to the forward end of the coil spring 29, the rear end of the spring being connected to the bar 30 of the frame 2byarod3l.,

A collar 32 is mounted on the shaft 15 and retained thereon by a set screw 33 which also serves to secure the lower end of the coil spring 34, the upper terminal of which being engaged with a stud 35 on the plate 27. Since the bolt 23 is engaged with the plate 27 forwardly of the shaft 15 it will ,be apparent that when the rod 24 is pulled rearwardly that the, plate 27 will swing on its pivot and simultaneously pull the bolt. 28 forwardly, thus placing the spring 29 under tension. As the rod 24 is moved rearwardly upon manipulating the link 26jthe carrier arm 18 will be swung rearwardly until it, engages the latch 5 which retains said arm in its set position to receive the targets 13. The latch 5 is operated to release the carrier arm when the rod 24 is moved forwardly, the ,sprin 29 serving to rapidly swing the carrier 6 orwardiy to ejectthe target from the carrier, the forward corner ofthe plate 7 being bent downwardly, as at 35 to permit the target to slide freely therefrom. Owing to the fact that the pin 21 is in the path of movement of the rear portion of the plate 27 the bushing 16 will be rotated thus swinging the carrier arm.

The carrier 6 will swing forwardl until the forward ,end of the plate 27 stri es the bar 36 0f the frame 2, as shown in Fi ure 5, whereupon the shaft 15 will make a raction of a revolution, the forward swinging movement thereof, being yieldably limited by the spring 34:, since this spring has one terminal connected tothe plate 27 and the other with the collar 32 fixed to said shaft. lit will be of course apparent that when the plate 27 strikes the bar 36 that. the movement of the carrier and carrier arm will not be immediately limited, but will continue to swmg forwardly against the action of the spring 3d until said spring has overcome the momentum of said arm and carrier, whereupon the carrier 6 will be returned to its unset or normal position, and. at which time will be in a position to prevent a dead center, thus permitting the earrler to swing easily to its set position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a target trap, a base, a frame rotatably mounted thereon, a shaft pivotally connected with the frame, a carrier connected with the shaft, a plate pivotally mounted on the shaft, a spring yieldably connecting the shaft and plate, said plate being adapted to have one end engage the frame during the forward swinging movement of the carrier to permit the spring to 'yieldably limit the movement thereof when said plate engages the frame, and means for rotating the shaft to swing the carrier forwardly.

2. In a target trap, a frame, a shaft mounted thereon, a target carrier fixed to the shaft, a plate pivotally mounted .on the shaft, a spring connecting the shaft and plate, said plate being adapted to have one end engage the frame as a carrier swin s forwardly, said spring serving to yieldabir limit the movement ofthe carrier durinthe forward swinging movement thereof.

3. In a target trap, a frame, a main shaft. a main projecting spring, a plate associated with a shaft and connected with a main spring, stopping means, a target carrier, means for connecting the carrier with the plate, a flexible means for allowing the carrier to! continue past dead center after the plate has engaged the stopping means and said means to return the carrier to normal or unset positiom In testimony whereof ll afix my signature.

WILLIAM l[, SPANGLER. 

